As a youngster.. I to had the classic G.I Joe.. Until my grandmother found it and threw it into their burning garbage pit.. For some odd reason.. she didn't like the fact the boys play with dolls. In some since of the word.. it is true that boys shouldn't play with dolls (In the classic doll form)
Later I turned to metal or die cast figurines.. I would have to say this is the closet thing to dolls there is.. Thou for little hands.. the metal or die cast figurines would be a bit risky.. if and when your child is ready.. try the plastic figures to begin with.. then as they get older move more towards the metal figures. In a since.. as the grow.. introduce paints and paint techniques in creating a accurate looking and weathered figure.. which is slowing becoming a lost art..

Well...I am here to say that the dolls I made for my son and grandson proved to be a very good thing for both boys. Both my son, who is an adult and has a child, and my grandson are very nurturing and loving souls. I think when a boy has the chance to love a doll and cuddle it, positive feelings towards real babies and other people begin to cultivate within them. The dolls I made were cloth, soft and cuddly. The boys saw the dolls as friends and buddies to share secrets with, to hold on to in times of fear or insecurity (like when they had to be with babysitters, or when they had to go to the doctor, dentist, etc.).

There is far too much worry and concern placed on gender oriented toys for children in my opinion. If you think about it, girls turn out to be naturally nurturing and loving adults because they were allowed to act like a parent/caregiver when young. Boys have to struggle harder to learn to be nurturing and loving adults because they were not given the chance to take care of a dolly. Society demands that boys be strong and fearless and girls be soft and nurturing. I see absolutely nothing wrong with letting the child determine which toys he/she wants to play with. This is my humble opinion.

I Agree with you Phyllis.. and I don't think I turned out so bad.. Mother taught me to sew and I did very well on my wife's wedding dress.. and no.. I don't consider myself to be fearless.. but humble.. and yes I still have my rabbit doll my other made for me in 1964

I think it's great for a boy to have a doll. I make rag dolls, including some boy dolls. Last month I sold one to a grandma from Great Britain who said they have a tradition in there family of giving rag dolls to boys on their first birthday, it was so fun to be a part of that. Boys have stuffed bears, why not a doll?

Phyllis, I have one doll in the house. It was my daughter's first doll when she was one. Her three year old son happened to find it recently. He treats it like a baby and started to include the doll in some activities like reading a book - the doll is company. One of his cousins is about a year old now so he is used to seeing a baby being fed, hugged and rocked.

Why do you say "it is true that boys shouldn't play with dolls (In the classic doll form)"? I don't see any problem with boys playing with traditionally girl toys, nor do I see a problem with girls playing with traditionally boy toys.